Video 3: CEDAW and Sudan’s Moral Bankrupt

Word Count: 1138 – Approx. running time: 7:30

As we saw on the previous video, the U.N. is trying to force Muslim countries, like Sudan,
to approve CEDAW, or the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination
Against Women.
CEDAW is an international treaty that claims to fight for women’s rights,
but behind this very inspiring title,
some of its articles come into direct conflict with the word of God and prophet
Mohammed’s Sunnah.
The implementation of these articles will go against the very core of Muslim life,
trying to eradicate all indisputable biological and psychological differences between men
and women,
and target the family institution, which according to Islam and the Sudanese last
constitution, is the building block that holds our society together.
So how exactly will CEDAW do this?
The first statement that calls for our attention is Article 2, section F, which forces
governments to “take all appropriate measures to modify or abolish any laws that
constitute discrimination against women”.
This of course contradicts the transitional nature of the current Sudanese government,
which has no mandate to modify or abolish any laws and impose specific ideology on its
people,
like, Sarah, a young Sudanese girl.
As we said earlier, family is the most important element in society for Muslims.
But for CEDAW, the most important thing is Sarah as an individual,
and will enforce legislation that protects her individual rights over the rights of the family,
under the slogan of female empowerment and the western definition of “discrimination”.
This would grant Sarah complete sexual freedom,
as well as freedom to choose her own sex, her own sexual partners, her own dress code
and free access to contraception,
setting off an avalanche of terrible consequences, like sexual promiscuity, prostitution,
single parenting and free access to abortion,
that would inevitably lead to the moral bankrupt of our Muslim societies.
For instance, the explosion of sexual activity thanks to contraception in the West has
brought levels of cohabitation, divorce, abortion and pornography addiction never before
seen in history,
leading to an epidemic of single-parent families and fatherless children,
who statistics show are more likely to drop out of high school, become teen mothers, or be
out of school and out of work in their adult years. 
Other articles that call for our immediate attention are Article 5, section A, and Article 16,
which state that every law based on traditional gender roles could be considered
discriminatory, including all issues concerning marriage, divorce, inheritance and property
rights.
But Sarah has decided to honor Islamic laws and marries Adam,
following traditional roles within the marriage, and even considering becoming a
polygamous couple.
But CEDAW would see these practices as sexist and abusive to Sarah’s rights,
even if BOTH parties already agreed to them.
CEDAW would also make sure

 that Islamic inheritance laws are overturned, even if Sarah inherits more than
Adam in most cases,
 that Sarah can divorce Adam without his consent, and equally share property after
divorce
 that Sarah has the right to sue Adam with charges of rape or harassment, and
even be legally protected to have sexual intercourse outside of marriage
As you can see, this is a direct attack on the institution of marriage, that will have
devastating effects.
For instance, Sarah would lose her God-given right to Nafaqah, or the financial
sustenance by the husband.
This means that Sarah would be forced to get a job,
giving up her choice to become a full-time mother and housewife,
and causing great harm to the family unit, and especially to her children,
who would see the warmth and nurture of a family environment be replaced by the
coldness and indifference of a childcare program,
or worse yet, by the secular and often disastrous values that kids learn from modern
media.
If Shariah imposes Nafaqah on the husband so the mother can provide good care to the
child during the first 2 years,
Is it worth the emotional and behavioral challenges that studies show are more common in
children exposed to early daycare and absent parents?
However, Adam and Sarah have stayed true to their Islamic values, and even welcomed a
baby into their home: little Amal.
But CEDAW still wants to create legislation only with Sarah in mind,
granting her rights that would encourage and protect single motherhood,
like allowing her to register Amal without a marriage certificate or only under her family
name.
If both parents should have a say and provide strong gender roles in the upbringing of their
child,
Why would CEDAW want to undermine Adam’s role in the life of Amal?
And yet, CEDAW’s interference on Muslim’s family affairs heads into increasingly
dangerous territory.
The convention states that same-sex marriage, sexual orientation, and gender identity
should be recognized, and even promoted.
This means that,

 two women or two men should be able to establish a marriage, start a family and
display their affection in public
 sex education should start early at school, including topics like LGTB rights and
gender identity
 and anyone could claim to be a female and be recognized by law as one, even
children.
So if homosexual acts are forbidden in traditional Islamic codes, should Adam and Sarah
feel comfortable exposing themselves and little Amal to them?
Now, some Muslim majority-countries like Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, Pakistan and
Palestine have already ratified CEDAW.
What’s been the result of this?
NGOs arm-twisting them into anti-Islamic changes in their legislation, which include:

 legalization of abortion
 decriminalization of homosexuality
 decriminalization of adult consensual sexual relations in private by repealing or
amending ‘indecency’ offenses
 raising the minimum age of marriage to 18
 allowing women to give birth in a hospital and register their children without
requiring a marriage certificate or under a family name of their choice, and ensuring
that children do not suffer discrimination due to the parents’ marital status
 repealing the prohibition that allows parents to discipline their children
 repealing the mandate that criminalizes “carnal knowledge”
  stopping sex segregation in buses
 stopping the submissive portrayal of women in the media
 banning polygamy for Muslim men
 and more alarmingly, the abolition of the Federal Sharia Court,
which derives from God’s immutable law and must be protected by all Muslims .
As you can see, forcing the full implementation of CEDAW on the Sudanese people would
go against the sacred discourse of Islam and Sudan’s legal system,
creating confusion and confrontation that will only divide us, instead of uniting us.
The current situation in Sudan is a wakeup call for all Muslim societies,
to promote a healthy interaction with modern ideas, while exercising our freedom of
religion and way of life in line with Islamic ethical and moral values.
Let’s all stand up against these anti-Islamic and undemocratic reforms that are currently
sweeping the nation, and help protect Adam, Sarah and Amal from the destruction of the
Muslim family.